Sinn Féin - On Your Side

Maskey - The reality of sectarianism cannot be ignored

Sinn Féin South Belfast MLA Alex Maskey, who head the party's outreach to
unionism programme responding to the furore surrounding comments made by Fr
Alex Reid has said that we need to be careful in the language we use but
that we cannot ignore the extent, nature and causes of sectarianism within
our society.

Mr Maskey said:

"I appreciate that many unionists have had difficulties with the language
used by Fr Alex Reid. But, by the same token many of these same unionists and
indeed church leaders have used language that has denigrated and demonised
nationalists and republicans.

"Of course, we need to be careful in the language we use but we cannot
ignore the elephant in the room. If we are going to meaningfully challenge
it then we need have an honest debate about the true extent, nature and
causes of sectarianism within our society.

"Unionist leaders are in denial about the history of the state, their own
responsibility for this and for the conflict which resulted from this. The
Good Friday Agreement contains Equality, Human Rights and Policing agendas
precisely because there has been institutionalised discrimination, sectarian
policing, injustice and repression." ENDS